


Pairing Collection

by animatedrose



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Babysitting, Bullying, Death, F/F, F/M, High School AU, Ho-Oh is a bitch, Hoenn legendaries war, Kissing, Lugia has too big of a heart, M/M, Mew is jealous of Mewtwo, Mew is treated like a child, Missingno is a glitch entity, Multi, Sad Ending, Swimming, Time Travel, Victini ran away from home, a lifetime of watching your love, a twist on princess fairytales, being kissed by a god, bullies bully to avoid being bullied themselves, from a shipping masterlist, from my old fanfiction.net account, god commandments, gods can be whatever gender they like, holy grounds, old, one-sided Lugia/Ho-Oh, unlikely to be continued
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25063807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animatedrose/pseuds/animatedrose
Summary: Just one-shots revolving around the hundreds of Pokemon x Pokemon pairings in the fandom.There is NOTHING beyond kissing to be found in here. Just a bunch of cuteness between the many awesome creatures inhabiting the Pokemon World. Will contain boy x girl, boy x boy, and girl x girl pairings.From this site: https://shipping.bulbagarden.net/listaz.html
Relationships: Arceus/Conkeldurr, Arceus/Lugia, Dialga/Kameil | Wartortle, Houou | Ho-Oh/Lugia, Ketsuban | MissingNo./Victini, Mew/Celebi, Zuruzukin | Scrafty/Elfuun | Whimsicott
Kudos: 2





	1. #_51Shipping

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Title: #_51Shipping  
> Pairing: Mew x Celebi  
> Warning: none  
> Summary: They had something in common that neither knew about. Could that similarity draw them together?

The lake was peaceful that day. There were no humans around, it was sunny, and—best of all—he was alone! No guardian was watching him today, thank goodness.

Mew dove down from the clear blue sky, shooting into the water like a bullet. As the water closed over his head, he swam toward the sandy bottom. A huge smile graced his face as schools of Goldeen and Seaking swam past him. He followed them, easily keeping pace with the fish-like Pokemon.

The pink feline was happy that he had a free day to play. Lately, Arceus had decided it was time for him to actually take some responsibility as a Legendary. Whenever he was allowed to leave the Hall of Origin, either Dialga or Palkia was sent to watch over him. Recently, Giratina joined in on keeping an eye on the pint-sized Legendary.

Mew frowned, ceasing his race with the Goldeen school. He allowed himself to sink to the bottom of the lake, watching the rays of sunlight dance above him as they pierced through the surface waters of the calm lake. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Arceus’ words out of his head.

_“This isn’t a game, Mew! You are a Legendary, one of the strongest and rarest Pokemon on the face of the planet. I’ve allowed you to do as you please with your powers for far too long. It’s time you learned to use them responsibly.”_

_“Stop playing around, Mew! This is serious! You have to know how to defend yourself. You won’t always be able to escape from a battle with a human. Now try again!”_

_“You’re hopeless, Mew! Why can’t you use your powers like Mewtwo can?”_

_“I’ve had it! You’re done, Mew! Go! Play your games! One day, you’ll come to regret playing around! The world isn’t all fun and games, you know!”_

Mew’s frown deepened. He could feel the sand on his back as he reached the bottom. He tried to relax but, for some reason, he couldn’t. He was just too… He didn’t even know!

_It’s not my fault I can’t be as good as Mewtwo,_ Mew thought bitterly. _He was born strong. I just…wasn’t? I don’t know! I like to play! Is that so wrong?_

Mew was so focused on his thoughts that he never saw a small shadow flitting about above the water’s surface.

.o.o.o.o.

_It’s so peaceful here,_ Celebi thought with a smile.

She had just reached the lake where she spent most of her free time. A majority of it involved swimming. The lake seemed deserted aside from its Water-type residents. She was content to fly just above the surface before diving in.

She had been gone for the past few months, traveling through time in search of something Shaymin had wanted to see. It was a strange flower from the distant past that no longer existed. It was pretty looking but it had a foul stench attached to it. The scent even drove poor Shaymin away. Celebi had discarded it immediately.

_I hope that smell isn’t still on me,_ she suddenly thought. _Good thing I’m here. I can take a quick dip._

Without a second thought, Celebi dove into the crystal clear lake. She swam around just below the surface for a while, occasionally swimming after a Magikarp or a Goldeen that passed by her. She smiled, happy.

Out of the corner of her eye, the time traveler could’ve sworn she saw pink. Taking a second look, she was shocked to see Mew on the bottom of the lake. She didn’t know if he was unconscious or what, but she dove toward the bottom in a heartbeat.

_Mew!_ Celebi mentally cried, suddenly very afraid.

.o.o.o.o.

Mew closed his eyes, trying to relax. Arceus’ words soon faded out of his head, leaving him with a peaceful feeling. The pink cat smiled softly. He felt like he was about to fall asleep…

A pair of hands suddenly grabbed his arm, jolting him awake. He lashed out, only to be dragged mercilessly through the water. He couldn’t tell if he was being dragged up, down, or what. His eyes were still closed.

“Let go!” he tried to shout, only to have bubbles burst from his mouth. He immediately shut his mouth, not wanting to drown.

Suddenly, his head shot above the surface. Mew gasped for breath, thrashing about. He ripped his arm from the grip of his captor. He whirled around to face the one who had ruined his relaxation.

“What were you thinking?! I was trying to—” His speech slowed when he saw who it was. “…re…lax….”

Celebi looked away, embarrassed. “You were? I’m sorry, Mew. I thought you were unconscious,” she apologized. “You weren’t moving…”

“I’m sorry,” Mew said. “I just… I’ve been having a bad couple of days.” Then he realized something. “Hey! You’re back!”

“Yep.” Celebi nodded.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be back yet. What about all the trans… All the planting and stuff? Shaymin wanted a flower, right?” Mew asked.

“It looked pretty but it really stunk,” Celebi replied, holding her nose for effect. “I got rid of it. Shaymin was disappointed but… Well, she’ll get over it. She’ll find roses or something and care for those instead.”

“Yeah!” Mew laughed. “So, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to swim. You?” Celebi asked.

“The same thing,” Mew admitted, blushing slightly. “I… I like to swim.”

“I didn’t know that,” Celebi commented.

“No one does…except for Mewtwo,” Mew grumbled, glaring at the water angrily. “He wasn’t supposed to find out, but he did!”

“Well, he obviously didn’t tell anyone,” Celebi pointed out.

“…I know.” Mew lowered his head until his mouth was below the surface. He blew a few bubbles. _She…likes to swim, too. I wonder if she…?_

Mew was scared to admit it, but he had a crush on Celebi. Ever since Arceus introduced her to the rest of the Legendaries, Mew had harbored deep feelings for her. Feelings he hadn’t initially understood. After observing other Pokemon for a while, he realized that his feelings were love. Now that he knew what it was, he was scared to tell her.

What if she rejected him? What if she laughed at him? What if she hated him for the rest of eternity? Worst of all…what if she was already in love with someone else?

Mew’s blush deepened and he sank further in the water, his nose now blowing bubbles as well. He suddenly yelped, swallowing water as he was jerked up by the ear by Celebi.

“What?!” he cried.

“I said ‘do you want to swim with me?’,” Celebi repeated, letting go of his ear. “You weren’t listening to me. What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing!” Mew yelped. “Yeah! Let’s swim!”

Celebi, though interested, dismissed Mew’s odd behavior. _He was probably thinking about his lessons with Arceus,_ she decided.

They spent the whole afternoon swimming and racing and playing together. That afternoon soon took up the whole day. Dialga and Palkia were supposed to come get Mew before sunset but, no surprise, they were late. They were probably fighting again. Giratina was no doubt trying to break their conflict up. Either way, it worked in Mew’s favor. He got to spend longer with his secret crush.

The sun was finally beginning to set. Mew and Celebi sat on a high branch in a nearby tree, drying off in the fading rays of warmth. They were chatting and laughing.

“And then Giratina screamed so loud that Raikou actually fainted!” Mew finished.

“My goodness! You sure know how to pull good pranks, Mew.” Celebi laughed, holding her stomach.

“Thanks!” Mew cried. _She likes it! She really likes it! Then maybe…could she like me?_ He fidgeted. “Uh… Celebi?”

“Huh?” The time traveler looked at her friend. “What is it, Mew?”

“Uh… I… Do you…” Mew suddenly looked away, blushing furiously. _I can’t do it! I can’t! Everything has been so good today! I don’t want to ruin it!_

“Mew?” Celebi rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Never mind!” Mew cried. “Forget I said anything! I…”

“Mew,” Celebi said gently.

“Yeah?” Mew turned to look at her again. “What is i—?!”

The pink cat froze as a pair of lips pressed against his own. It took a few seconds for his mind to figure out what was happening. His gaze met those of Celebi’s. Both were blushing when the kiss ended.

“I… That was…” Mew trailed off. _She…kissed me…_

“Mew,” Celebi said, her voice gentle. “I’ve been to the past and the future. I know…”

“You do?” Mew squeaked.

“Yes.” Celebi nodded. “I like you too, Mew.”

“You do?” Mew asked softly.

Celebi moved a bit closer to Mew. “Yes,” she replied. “I do.”

Mew and Celebi stayed like that, side by side, blushing as they held hands. When the sun completely set, Dialga and Palkia finally arrived to bring Mew home. Mew and Celebi went together. Not a word was spoken about it between the two dragon lords of time and space.

_I guess today wasn’t so bad,_ Mew thought. _If anything, today was…the best day ever._

At least he’d have something to think about during Arceus’ boring lectures on how to properly harness his powers. Mew briefly wondered if Celebi would let him in on their future relationship. He doubted it but still…

…he could always try, right?


	2. 000Shipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: 000Shipping  
> Pairing: Victini x Missingno  
> Warning: Violence, fluffy boy x boy love  
> Summary: All Victini wanted was a friend. All Missingno wanted was someone to acknowledge his existence. They found what they wanted in each other, but would the world let it last?

Victini ran as fast as he could. He was almost there. Just a little further…

“Hey, Victini! Where are you?”

“Come back here!”

“Don’t let him get away!”

This had happened everyday since he chose to leave the Hall of Origin and live on Earth. Pokemon chased him in order to fight him. If he lost, he got beaten up. If he ran and got caught, he was beaten up.

Was this the life all Pokemon on Earth lived? Maybe leaving the Hall of Origin was a bad ide—

Victini shook his head. No! He left because he didn’t want to be above anyone. He wanted to be equal with other Pokemon. Besides, if he hadn’t come to Earth…he wouldn’t have met _him_.

Victini dove behind a tree, waiting patiently for his pursuers to go past. They did, not stopping even once to hunt for him. Victini sighed in relief, slipping further into the forest. A large clearing appeared up ahead.

To think that five years have already passed…

.o.o.o.o.

Victini found this clearing five years ago. It became his hiding place whenever he successfully escaped from his pursuers. He didn’t always escape, though. There were times that he got caught. No matter what, though, Victini never led his pursuers to this clearing. This was his secret hiding place, where he could rest and relax.

When he first started going there, he never noticed the strange presence of another lurking among the trees and grass. Likewise, the strange presence never seemed to notice him. They both lived in their own separate worlds, their only connection being the clearing.

That all changed one day with a few small words uttered from Victini’s mouth.

“I wish I had a friend.”

That’s when _he_ appeared. Victini didn’t really notice him at first but when he did, he was surprised to see such a thing. Yet Victini felt no fear.

“Who are you?” he asked.

The nearly-invisible, bird-like creature spoke in a voice that seemed robotic yet held the faint sound of static within it. _“I am…Missingno… Who are…you?”_

“Victini,” he replied. “Why can’t I see you?”

_“Am not…complete…”_ Missingno replied. _“Incomplete…”_

“Are you alone, too?” Victini dared to ask.

_“Alone… Very alone…”_ Missingno said. _“There is…no one… No one…knows me…”_

“Want to be friends?” Victini asked. “I’m alone, too.”

_“Friends… Yes… Friends…”_ Missingno replied.

“Do you live here, Missingno?” Victini asked.

_“Live here… Yes…”_ Missingno replied after a moment. _“Nowhere else…to go…”_

“I come here to hide,” Victini explained, hugging his knees. “Everybody tries to fight me. I get beat up a lot. It’s scary.”

_“Beat up… Very scary…”_ Missingno agreed.

“Have you ever been beat up?” Victini asked.

_“No… Can’t be…touched much… Very hard…to feel others…”_ Missingno explained in his broken way of speaking. _“Not beat up… Not ever…”_

“You’re lucky, Missingno,” Victini said, lowering his head. “It hurts to be beat up.”

_“Hurt… Hurt bad…”_ Missingno pointed out.

“Yeah.” Victini nodded. “I can’t stay here all of the time. Since you live here, how about we meet here? Whenever I’m not caught, that is.”

_“Meet here… Yes…”_ Missingno nodded. _“Friends meet…here now…”_

“Yeah.” Victini nodded, smiling. “Friends meet here now.”

.o.o.o.o.

Victini stepped into the clearing. “Hey, Missingno! I’m back!” he called.

_“Victini friend… Welcome back…Victini friend…”_ Missingno greeted.

“I got away today. I’m getting faster,” Victini said, grinning. “Soon, they won’t be able to catch me anymore!”

_“No catching…Victini friend… Good…”_ Missingno agreed.

A tree branch creaked somewhere to Victini’s right. He grinned, turning to see the faint outline of his near-invisible friend approaching him.

“There you are, Victini!”

“Oh no!” Victini yelped, whipping around. “How did you get here?!”

Standing on the edge of the clearing, arms crossed over his chest, was Machop. Standing beside him was Houndour, Zangoose, and Glaceon. The four of them stepped into the clearing, eyes locked on Victini.

“Houndour tracked your scent here,” Machop replied with a smirk. “Has this been where you’ve been hiding this whole time?”

“We must’ve passed here a dozen times,” Glaceon commented, looking around. “Good choice of a hiding place, I must admit.”

“Too bad it’s all for naught now,” Zangoose chuckled. “Get ready to fight, Victini. You may have us beat in speed but in raw physical power, we can’t be beat.”

“Yeah!” Houndour barked. “Here we come, Victini!”

“Missingno, get out of here!” Victini pleaded.

“Missingno?” Machop repeated, looking around. He saw nothing. “Check it out, guys! He has an imaginary friend!”

“Shut up, Machop!” Victini growled. “It’s me you want! Leave Missingno alone!”

“What are you, a baby? Imaginary friends don’t exist!” Machop barked. “Zangoose, get him!”

Zangoose lunged, catching Victini by the throat and hauling him up into the air. Victini coughed, gasping for air as he struggled to get lose. Zangoose tightened his claws on Victini’s throat.

“GAAAH!!” Victini cried. “Missingno, get out of here! Hurry!”

_“Victini friend…”_ Missingno said.

Glaceon’s ears perked. “What was that?” she asked.

“What was what?” Machop demanded.

“That noise,” Glaceon replied. “It was like…static or something.”

“You’re hearing things,” Houndour said.

_“Victini friend…”_ Missingno’s outline started to become static-like, growing in size.

Glaceon looked around wildly. “There it is again! Machop, I’m not kidding!” she cried. “Something’s here!”

“Quit being such a baby!” Machop yelled, glaring at her.

_“Victini friend…”_ Missingno grew larger, trembles still wracking his incomplete body.

Houndour froze. “Uh, boss? I think I’m hearing it, too.”

“You two are so paranoid,” Machop growled. “Look, there’s nothing here but that wimpy Victi—”

A tree branch snapped, falling to the ground. Glaceon and Houndour began to back off, terrified. Zangoose lowered Victini slightly, staring at the branch.

“Mis…sing…no…?” Victini said weakly.

“That’s it! I’m gone!” Glaceon dashed away.

“Hey, wait for me!” Houndour tore after her into the forest.

“Hey! Get back here, you chickens!” Machop yelled.

“Boss, I think they’re right,” Zangoose reluctantly said. “Something’s here. I don’t know what it is, and I’m not certain I want to know, but it’s bad.”

“Don’t you turn chicken on me too, Zangoose!” Machop shouted, glaring at him. “There’s _nothing_ here!”

The ground suddenly shook, throwing Machop off his feet. Zangoose just barely stood his ground. When the shaking ended, Zangoose saw a large bird-like footprint only a few feet away. He dropped Victini and began to back up.

“What in the name o—” Machop was cut off when Zangoose ran past him. “Hey! Get back here! What’s the matter with you?!”

“Run, boss! Run!” Zangoose called back, not stopping.

“Bunch of cowards,” Machop grumbled, standing up and brushing himself off. “I guess I get the pleasure of beating you up…by…myself?”

Machop stared at the ground. It was dark. His shadow was gone, as if something giant was standing over him. Machop began to back up, staring upward.

That’s when he saw it. There was a clear outline of a massive bird creature standing above him. Its huge wings were spread and its beak was open. Then a noise, like a scream made of pure static turned to the loudest volume possible, erupted from its beak.

Machop jumped back, hands clapping over his ears, but the noise refused to be muffled. Stumbling backward, Machop ran away in terror. The noise followed him deep into the forest.

Victini, lying flat on his back on the ground, struggled to stay conscious as he watched the massive near-invisible creature begin to shrink. When it was just a little taller than Victini, it slowly moved toward him. Victini wanted to run but he was too weak.

_“Victini friend…”_ it said.

“Missingno.” Victini sighed in relief. “So it _was_ you.”

_“Victini friend… Are you…hurt bad…?”_ Missingno asked.

“Just my throat,” Victini replied. “I’ll live. I just need a little nap.”

_“Little nap… Good…”_ Missingno agreed.

“Thanks…for saving me,” Victini said sleepily. “You’re a…great friend…Missingno…”

_“Great friend… Victini friend…great friend too…”_ Missingno replied.

“Thanks…” Victini yawned. “Is it okay…if I…sleep here a while?”

_“It okay…Victini friend…”_ Missingno said.

Just as Victini closed his eyes, he felt something press against his lips. Victini froze, unable to figure out what was going on. Then it hit him.

_Is Missingno…kissing me?_

Missingno pulled away. Victini stared at him in shock.

 _“Is something wrong…Victini friend…?”_ Missingno asked.

“You kissed me,” Victini squeaked.

_“Kisses mean…liking someone…”_ Missingno explained. _“Like you…Victini friend… I…like you…”_

Victini smiled, blushing. “I like you too, Missingno,” he admitted. He yawned. “Night…”

_“Good night…Victini friend…”_ Missingno said.

Missingno remained there the entire night, watching over Victini. For once in its many long decades of existence, Missingno’s existence was acknowledged. He gained a friend…and maybe something more?

Missingno would have to wait until morning came to find the answer for that question.


	3. 10,000YearsShipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: 10,000YearsShipping  
> Pairing: Dialga x Wartortle  
> Warning: Character death, sad ending  
> Summary: She lived the longest lifespan of any normal Pokemon. He lived infinitely. 10,000 years might not be enough for her to express her feelings for him…

The Wartortle had only seen him a total of three times throughout her life. It had only taken that first time for her to fall so deeply in love with him that she utterly refused to love another. She was desperate to see him once more before her life ended.

10,000 years had passed since her hatching. It had not taken her long to evolve, so in love with fighting as she was. Fighting had been her one true passion in life. She chose to remain a Wartortle, fearing a loss of speed if she became the bulky form that was Blastoise.

Her love for fighting was soon replaced by her love for the one thing she was certain she could never have…

.o.o.o.o.

The first time she saw him was at a remote lake deep in the forest near where she had hatched barely 300 years earlier. She had just left the lake when a strange feeling had gone through her. The moment she had turned, she darted behind a tree in fear of being spotted. She breathed a sigh of relief when he took no notice of her.

A second glance caused her to stare. He was magnificent, more so than any other Pokemon she had encounter. And, during her 300 years of life, she had seen many different Pokemon. None of them, not even the beautiful Milotic or the elegant Arcanine, even came close to his beauty.

She had never encountered a Legendary Pokemon before. As far as she was concerned, they were just fairytales meant to explain why the world was the way it was. She had never truly believed them. Upon lying eyes on him, her views were instantly changed.

He was dark blue in color with a light blue combination of lines and diamonds decorating his quadruped saurian body. His skull extended backward a ways. He had metallic horns that ran down the length of his head, a row of three metallic spikes going down the back of his long neck, a sail-like metallic growth above his short tail, and a huge metallic chest plate with a dark blue diamond imbedded at its center. The same metallic material made up the long, sharp claws on all four of his feet.

He was the legendary Lord of Time himself. Dialga…

Her stare was soon matched by that of his own, red boring into brown. It took her a few seconds to realize he was staring back and, terrified, she ducked behind the tree. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Her conscious ordered her to apologize for staring. When she looked again to apologize, she groaned sadly.

He was gone…

.o.o.o.o.

The second time she had seen him was at the ocean, at least 1,000 years after she had hatched. She had journeyed there in order to swim the ocean herself. The sun had been setting that day and she had chosen to walk quietly along the beach, watching the Wingull and Pelipper soar through the skies above.

She had forgotten many things over the past 1,000 years…but she never forgot her first sighting of the Time Lord. She had long since given up her crush on him. What were the chances she would ever see him again? And what were the chances of him loving her back? He was immortal. She wasn’t. She would one day grow old and die while he would infinitely remain the same. Even if there was a chance of love between them, it would never work.

A shiver suddenly ran down her spine, urging her to turn around. She did so and nearly jumped out of her shell. She found herself staring once again at the very object of her past affections. Those affections returned instantly, causing her to blush.

The Time Lord himself was standing not even ten yards from her, staring toward the sunset. He was like an unmoving statue, continuing to look straight ahead. Many Pokemon nearby, the Wingull and Pelipper included, began to move away from the Legendary Pokemon. Soon, only the Wartortle was left on the beach with him.

They stayed like that for many hours, long into the night. He continued to stare into the distance. She continued to stare at him. Neither made a move nor spoke a word. They remained alone that whole time.

The words were bubbling up in her chest. She wanted to speak them, to confess her undying love for him. She held back, though. How many others had made such claims to him? Thousands, if not millions… What chance did she possibly have in getting her feelings returned?

As suddenly as he appeared, he left. He took to the skies and vanished among the stars, no doubt returning to his own dimension. She remained where she was, staring at the spot in the night sky where he had disappeared…

.o.o.o.o.

The third time was 8,000 years after she had hatched. She had returned to her forest home, living near the lake where her first encounter with the Lord of Time had occurred. Her love for him had become so true that she refused the hand of any male that approached her. She only had eyes for Dialga.

It was early in the morning. The morning fog had rolled in and dew coated the grass. It was chilly, yet she awoke as she always did. She made her way to the lake and began to swim. It was routine for her now. Swimming in the early morning helped her wake up and start gathering energy for whatever the day had planned for her.

Due to the fog, she hadn’t even noticed him at first. She just swam, unaware that she was being watched. When she finally did notice, she panicked and dove deep to the bottom of the lake. Suddenly realizing who it was, she slowly returned to the surface.

To her utter amazement, he was still standing there. His ruby gaze silently watched her. Nervous, she returned to her swimming routine. He made no move and said nothing. He simply watched.

He remained there until the fog cleared. Just before he took to the sky, she forced herself to speak. Her words were so soft that she was shocked he even heard them at all.

“Why?”

He stopped, floating only a few feet off of the ground. He gave a long pause before finally answering.

“I wanted to see you.”

He was gone before she could say anything else. She left the lake and stood where he once stood. That day, she moved her nest to that very spot. The fog and morning dew wiped away his scent. She didn’t care.

He had wanted to see her…

.o.o.o.o.

Her life was now nearing its end. 10,000 years was the lifespan of a Wartortle and was the longest of any normal Pokemon. She still lived by the lake, nesting in the same place where the Time Lord once stood so long ago. Nobody believed she actually saw him. She didn’t care. She still loved him.

She couldn’t find the strength to rise that morning. She knew her time had finally come. She frowned sadly, lying on her back in the grass.

“I wish…I could’ve seen him…one last time,” she whispered.

“Then see me one last time, you shall.”

Her old heart skipped a beat at the sound of his rumbling voice. A large shadow fell over her before the Lord of Time himself stood over her, head lowered to see her small form better. Her face blossomed with color at the sight of him. He still looked the same after so many thousand years.

She smiled fondly. “I always…loved you,” she finally said. “I never…could say it.”

“I know,” Dialga replied, kneeling down until he was by her side. “I have rarely allowed someone to see me more than once in their lifetime. You are one of those select few, little Wartortle.”

“I’m…happy to hear that,” she said.

“Not only have you accomplished that, but…” He slowly leaned his head down toward hers. “…you have also succeeded in capturing my heart.”

She stared at him in shock. “I…did?”

“Yes.” Dialga nodded. “I have always watched you, ever since I first met you here so long ago. You may not have seen me, but I was always there. I am sorry that you have learned this at your life’s end, little Wartortle.”

“It’s all right,” she replied, closing her eyes and smiling. “At least…I can go to the next world…happy. Thank you…Dialga.”

“Allow me to give you a gift before you leave,” Dialga requested.

She hardly had time to respond before a pair of lips pressed against her own. She smiled, kissing the Time Lord back. Her heartbeat quickened with whatever little energy remained in her old body. When the kiss ended, she smiled.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her eyes closing. Her heartbeat began to weaken as life faded from her body.

“Thank you…” he rumbled gently. “…and goodbye.”

Her eyes closed and her heartbeat ceased. Her body soon grew cold with death. He remained with her for a short while longer before departing. He left her where she laid, a large stomp of his forepaw imprinted in the ground by her side as proof of his presence. He didn’t look back, only shedding a single tear.

Even if he had returned her feelings earlier, it would have made no difference. She was mortal while he was immortal. She was but a single mortal out of many who he had loved. Sadly, he was destined to remain alone…forever.


	4. 100%CottonPantsShipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: 100%CottonPantsShipping  
> Pairing: Scrafty x Whimsicott  
> Warning: Fluff, boy x boy love, violence, twisted fairytales, bloodshed  
> Summary: Whimsicott is the most picked-on Pokemon at school. Scrafty is the toughest of the schoolyard bullies. Luckily for Whimsicott, girly-looking guys being damsels in distress are just Scrafty’s type. Too bad this “damsel in distress” isn’t so easy to rescue. Who’s really the princess here?

“Come on! Hit him harder!”

“Do it! Do it! Do it!”

“Show that weakling who’s boss!”

_Here we go again,_ Whimsicott thought as he curled into a tighter ball.

It was the end of the school day and, as usual, Whimsicott had managed to get himself cornered by the schoolyard bullies. It was a handful of tough-looking Pokemon, mostly Fighting-types and Dark-types. A few other oddballs were mixed in, though. As was routine during these cornering, Whimsicott fell to the ground, curled into a ball, and waited patiently for the torture to end so he could drag himself home.

Unless his hero showed up, that is.

.o.o.o.o.

_“Hey, you okay?”_

_It was raining that day. The bullies had only just left, so Whimsicott instinctively curled up again upon hearing the voice. When there were no cruel insults tossed at him or clawed feet kicking at his beaten form, he dared to uncurl and look up at the speaker. He didn’t know whether to be scared or overjoyed._

_It was Scrafty, one of the toughest schoolyard bullies around. He rarely ever associated with the rest of the bullies, especially the ones that tended to beat up on the poor Grass-type. Scrafty was more of a solo bully, targeting Pokemon on his own. He had gained a massive reputation for doing so, especially when he went after Pokemon older than him and got away with it scot-free. It was rare for him to associate with anyone at all aside from his targets, and even that was until he was satisfied with tormenting them._

Why is he talking to me? _Whimsicott wondered._

_Scrafty stepped closer, tilting his umbrella so it sheltered Whimsicott from the rain._

_“You okay?” he repeated, tone even and flat._

_The battered Grass-type didn’t feel like talking. His throat was shot from screaming earlier during his tormentors’ abuse. He couldn’t form a reply to the Fighting-type._

_Whimsicott chose to ignore the other, slowly getting back to his feet. He stumbled a bit, nearly crashing into Scrafty, before finally regaining his balance. After gathering all of his fallen school supplies and papers, he slowly walked past Scrafty. Once he was out of the alley he had been jumped in, he became drenched from the rain._

_Just as he was beginning to shiver from the cold, the rain stopped beating on him. Looking up, the Grass-type realized an umbrella was covering him. A quick glance behind him confirmed his fears—Scrafty was following him._

_“Where’s your house? I’ll walk you,” Scrafty offered, his tone remaining as flat as ever. So uncaring yet…_

_Whimsicott weighed his options. He really didn’t want to go home in the rain. His papers would be ruined by all the water. But did he really want to show a bully where he lived? That could bring more trouble for him later._

_“…Yes, please,” Whimsicott finally answered. “I’d like that…a lot. Thank you.”_

_All Scrafty did was shrug and make a strange “Hnnn,” noise before proceeding to walk the beaten Grass-type home._

_At first, it was just that—Whimsicott would get beaten up, Scrafty would arrive after that, and the Fighting-type would walk Whimsicott home. Weather never seemed to matter. Scrafty always showed up without fail. They rarely spoke to each other during these brief minutes together. It just made Whimsicott more suspicious of the other._

_Scrafty always showed up_ just after _Whimsicott would get brutally beaten up. A bully popping up after a bunch of other bullies leave. Sounds pretty suspicious, right? The Grass-type wouldn’t be surprised if this was another cruel set-up by the bullies to break him down. It wouldn’t be the first time false friendship had been used by them._

_Things changed after one particularly nasty beating caused Whimsicott to lose consciousness entirely._

_When the poor, dazed Grass-type woke up, he found himself in a run-down old shack that he recognized as being close to his school. There was only one working light bulb, it being attached to the ceiling above him. There was a sleeping bag underneath him, red and black in color._

_That’s when Whimsicott discovered the state of his injuries. Each one had been carefully treated and bandaged, like a doctor would’ve done it. He hardly felt any pain at all from them._

_Then he found the note by where he sat. **“Whimsy, you can stay or go if you want. Directions to your house on back of note. Went out to get dinner. If you choose to stay, I’ll walk you home after dinner. -Scrafty”**_

_Despite feeling the desperate urge to run home, Whimsicott chose to stay. Dinner was simple, just a few sandwiches and soup. As promised, Scrafty walked him home afterward. Whimsicott tried to ask who cared for him, but Scrafty wouldn’t reply. He simply brought him home and then left again._

_Over the following few weeks, Whimsicott began to feel something. Whenever Scrafty was near, he got embarrassed and quiet. His face heated up more and his heart raced. When Scrafty touched him to bandage his injuries, it felt like his heart would burst from his chest. He had no idea what was wrong with him._

_His Mama had said she felt like that when she fell in love with his Papa. It happened between two people who loved each other. But…that can’t be right! Right? He was scared of Scrafty!_

_…Okay, maybe not as scared as before. If anything, Scrafty was really nice compared to his tormentors. How could such a nice guy be a bully?_

_“I only do it to keep others from going after me,” Scrafty replied one night when Whimsicott dared to ask that question. “If I bully others, they won’t bully me back. They’re too scared of what I could do to them if they tried. It’s the only way to survive in that school.”_

_“You mean, you’re scared of getting bullied?” Whimsicott asked, shocked._

_“…Yeah,” Scrafty finally admitted. “I’ve been doing it since early middle school, not long after I got bullied. I ended up in the hospital. I was weak back then, so I made myself get stronger. Then I joined in on the bullying. Nobody tried to come after me again.”_

_“But bullies are hurting people! Like me!” Whimsicott argued._

_“I know, but we have to. It’s the only way we can protect ourselves from getting bullied," Scrafty replied, looking away._

_“Then why?” the Grass-type demanded. “Why help me? Aren’t I just another person to bully to you?”_

_Scrafty chuckled. “Nah! You’re a damsel in a distress.”_

_“I’m a_ guy _, thank you very much!” Whimsicott barked, offended._

_“But you look and act a lot like a girl,” Scrafty pointed out, smirking. “I don’t like going after damsels. Too much work. Rescuing them, though… I think I can handle that.”_

_Whimsicott frowned. “I’m not a princess trapped in a dragon-guarded tower, you know. I’m a high school student getting viciously bullied. I need rescue from_ bullies _, not a_ dragon _!”_

_“Well, did you ever think the princess wasn’t put in that tower against her will?” Scrafty asked. “Maybe she put herself in there because the world outside was too cruel to bear. Maybe she asked the dragon to attack everyone that came near because she didn’t want to leave her safe castle, where no such cruelty existed.”_

_“…What?” Whimsicott whispered. “That’s not how the story goes, Scrafty.”_

_“That’s how we_ assume _it goes,” Scrafty continued. “The princess is trapped in a castle by an evil dragon, awaiting rescue by a gallant knight who will slay the dragon and set the princess free. Well, maybe the princess hid in the castle to escape from the cruel people of this world and the dragon is trying to protect her from that evil. We just_ think _the princess needs rescue. Maybe she would rather stay hidden forever, protected by her dragon.”_

_“Scrafty…”_

_“Maybe that’s how our bullying works, Whimsy,” Scrafty muttered. “The princess is our true selves, hiding away in a castle to stop people from hurting us. The dragon is our bully selves, attacking anyone that comes near the castle.”_

_He laughed before looking at Whimsicott. He was smiling._

_“Pretty weird picture, right? Bullies actually being princesses. And I thought_ you _were the damsel in distress here, Whimsy.”_

_“…Then who’s the gallant knight?” Whimsicott asked._

_“Who knows.” Scrafty chuckled._

.o.o.o.o.

“Hey, what the—”

“What’s _he_ doing here?”

“Scrafty, what are you—”

Their words were cut off by bloodcurdling screams. Punches were thrown, kicks dealt, and blood splashed along the brick alley. The school predators were now the school prey to an even worse predator…

_You told me that you were scared of getting bullied yourself, so you bullied to keep yourself safe,_ Whimsicott thought as he curled tighter on the ground. _If you suddenly stopped bullying, you’d be bullied instead._

.o.o.o.o.

_“Why don’t you fight them, Scrafty? You could beat them all up, no problem!” Whimsicott encouraged._

_“I can’t,” Scrafty said. “They’d know I wasn’t a bully anymore, Whimsy. They’d turn on me and, no matter how strong I am, I’d get overwhelmed by sheer numbers.”_

_“Then you’re okay with me still getting beaten up?” Whimsicott shouted, tears or anger springing to his eyes._

_“Whimsy, you know that isn’t what I—”_

_“Can it! All you’ve done is fix the damage afterward!” Whimsicott yelled, tears rolling down his cheeks. “All this talk of gallant knights saving princesses and dragons protecting princesses! If I’m a damsel in distress, then why don’t you get me out of distress?!”_

_“I would, but I can’t! Both of us would just get hurt, Whimsy! I can’t let that happen!” Scrafty barked._

_“Oh, so the hero gets to avoid the pain while the damsel in distress has to endure it? That’s not how it goes, Scrafty!” Whimsicott cried. “I don’t care how twisted you make those fairy tales seem. You can’t just leave the one you care for in pain like this!”_

_“Whimsy, I can—”_

_“I can’t believe I loved you,” Whimsicott finally spat._

_Scrafty froze. “…What?”_

_“You heard me, Scrafty! I loved you!” Whimsicott shouted, crying freely now. “I don’t care how wrong it was, I loved you! Now I see I was wasting my time.”_

_“Whimsy, wait! You mean yo—”_

_“I want you to stop.”_

_“Stop? Stop what?” Scrafty asked, lost._

_“Stop rescuing me halfway!” Whimsicott yelled. “If you can’t find the strength to save me the whole way, then just stop! Stop rescuing me!”_

_“Whimsy, I—”_

_“I never want to see you again!” Whimsicott finally screamed, running from Scrafty’s shack._

_Whimsicott never looked back. Scrafty never came after him. The tears never stopped flowing…_

.o.o.o.o.

The screams and fighting continued. Whimsicott simply laid there on the ground, bruised and battered from his beating. His mind was fuzzy yet it still processed thoughts. He was unaware of the brutal massacre happening around him.

_I remember when you told me about that fairy tale,_ Whimsicott thought. _The one with the princess and the dragon and the knight. The princess is the real you, Scrafty. The dragon is the Scrafty everybody else knows. You didn’t who the gallant knight was, though._

Whimsicott felt a smile cross his face. The tears were flowing again.

_You always called me a “damsel in distress”, Scrafty. Maybe I am a damsel in distress, but I think you were right about that story. You’re the princess_ and _the dragon. The dragon must be slain and the princess must be saved. The only one that can do that is the gallant knight. Maybe…_ I’m _the gallant knight._

The screaming was beginning to die down now. The sound of pounding feet and paws signaled a retreat by his tormentors. They had been soundly defeated. Only one other person remained in the alley aside from the beaten Whimsicott. That person began to approach the Grass-type, head hung low and knuckles bloody from the fight.

_How ironic, that the gallant knight is a damsel in distress and must slay a dragon in order to save a princess. A damsel in distress and a princess, living happily ever after,_ Whimsicott thought. _But…maybe…_

Whimsicott smiled when the person reached him. It was Scrafty, looking worse for wear but likely better than his opponents did. The Fighting-type smiled before kneeling down beside him, bending his head to press a kiss to Whimsicott’s lips.

“You okay?” Scrafty asked when he finally pulled away.

“I am now,” Whimsicott replied, smiling softly. _Maybe…the gallant knight doesn’t need to slay the dragon. Maybe the dragon…can protect the princess_ and _the knight._ “Did I look like Sleeping Beauty to you?”

“Nah!” Scrafty smirked, pulling the beaten Grass-type onto his back. “You’re prettier. I just wanted to see if a kiss would work.”

“Work for _what_?” Whimsicott asked, relaxing against Scrafty’s back.

“To get you to forgive me,” Scrafty replied nervously.

“Silly.” The Grass-type chuckled, shifting so he could press a kiss to his rescuer’s cheek. “You’re already forgiven. Forgive me?”

“Already forgiven, Whimsy,” Scrafty replied.

The two headed back to Scrafty’s shack to rest and recover from their wounds. The bullies never bothered Whimsicott again for fear of bring Scrafty’s wrath down on them. Besides, everyone knows not to dare steal a dragon’s treasure… _or_ its damsel in distress.


	5. 10CommandmentsShipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: 10CommandmentsShipping  
> Pairing: Arceus x Conkeldurr  
> Warning: references to the Bible, religious themes, god worship, violence, swear words, boy x boy love  
> Summary: Conkeldurr has faithfully obeyed the mystical laws set upon Pokemon-kind by Arceus. After quelling a battle on sacred ground, he finds himself rewarded by the very god he so faithfully worships.

Since he was a young Timburr, he was brought up under the teachers of Arceus. Arceus made the very world they stood on and brought every creature—himself included—into existence. The least they could do to show thanks was to obey the laws set down for them at the start of the world. His father and his grandfather and his great-grandfather had obeyed them without fail. So would he.

Evolution did not change his views on anything. He indeed attracted more attention when he became a Conkeldurr, but that was something he cared little for. His life revolved around the 10 primary teachings that had been drilled into his head since childhood.

  1. **Thou shalt have no other gods before me.**



  1. **Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeliness of any other living creature in, above, or under the earth with intent to worship them.**



  1. **Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.**



  1. **Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.**



  1. **Honor thy father and thy mother.**



  1. **Thou shalt not kill.**



  1. **Thou shalt not commit adultery.**



  1. **Thou shalt not steal.**



  1. **Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.**



  1. **Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s belongings.**



Conkeldurr did all in his power not to disobey the sacred laws set down by Arceus since the world began. He honored Arceus and only Arceus, never holding anything else in the same regard. He honored his parents dearly, thanking them daily for bringing him into the world. He never killed or stole. Romance, especially for minors, was the furthest thing from his mind. He respected his neighbors greatly and swore to always do so.

There was an altar he always went to, one his family had guarded and prayed at for many long centuries. Hundreds of his kind have protected it, bringing offerings and prayers in the hopes of gaining Arceus’ kindness. As of late, Conkeldurr found himself at the altar on his own.

Since the Great War began, many lost faith in Arceus.

Many skirmishes occurred close to the border between the mountain region and his home village. Opposing troops could be found lurking in the forest, attacking carts and vendors to gain supplies. Rumor had it that they snatched random villagers that dared get too close in order to increase their numbers. Conkeldurr wasn’t sure whether those were true or not.

What _was_ true, however, was that the skirmishes were getting far too close to the altar for his liking.

The altar was on sacred ground, where legend claimed Arceus created the mighty forests that encircle the earth’s landmass. No violence or bloodshed was to occur in that holy space, no matter what the reason. Over the centuries, peace was kept within that area.

Conkeldurr would be damned if he would let that peace be destroyed on his watch.

.o.o.o.o.

It was two weeks into his self-appointed vigil that it happened—the very thing he feared. A clash between a small squadron of opposing soldiers finally occurred. They were very close, easily within earshot…and getting closer.

Conkeldurr stood, readying his concrete pillars. He was just a few feet outside of the sacred area the altar resided within. Nobody would be able to get past him. He would _personally_ make sure of _that_.

Out of the underbrush came two Weavile, each outfitted with dark blue bandannas—members of the Kyogre Blue Army. They were composed of mainly Water and Ice-types. Chasing them was a Magmar and a Charmeleon, both wearing bright red bandannas—members of the Groudon Red Army. They recruited mostly Fire, Rock, and Ground-types.

The KBA and the GRA had been battling each other for well over a decade over their own beliefs, concerning whether Groudon or Kyogre would return to change the world as they once did thousands of years ago before they were sealed by the mighty Rayquaza in order to prevent the world’s destruction. The Rayquaza Green Army, or RGA, had been attempting to break up the two groups since their creation in order to mimic Rayquaza’s actions against Groudon and Kyogre long ago. A majority of it was made up of Grass and Bug-types.

Conkeldurr cared little for whoever it was. If they entered the sacred space with intent to fight, he would stop them. He cared little for their beliefs or reasons. Nobody would shed blood on this holy ground.

_Nobody_ …

The Charmeleon was the first one to get knocked out. Conkeldurr’s concrete pillar hit him upside the head, knocking out of a few teeth from the Fire-type along the way. One of the Weavile fell next, thrown into a tree for daring to dart within inches of the sacred ground.

The Magmar and the other Weavile froze, watching the brutality in shock.

“Get out,” Conkeldurr warned slowly, swinging concrete pillars threateningly.

The pair didn’t hesitate to attack. Conkeldurr struck back furiously, heavy concrete easily besting flames and ice, claws and teeth. Neither opponent left a scratch on the Fighting-type.

They weren’t the last to dare attempt to battle on sacred ground. Members of the KBA and GRA fought ruthlessly, only to all fall beneath the furious might of Conkeldurr. Even foolish members of the RGA were taken out with no mercy. Nobody with violent intent would set foot on Arceus’ holy ground.

Not as long as Conkeldurr still lived and breathed.

.o.o.o.o.

It was several hours later under a curtain of heavy rain that the battle ended. All three armies fled the area, but not out of fear for each other. No, they were terrified by the altar’s ferocious guardian.

A heartless Conkeldurr wielding bloodstained pillars of concrete…

Or so that’s how the three groups described him. He was a monster with no morals. A bloodthirsty beast guarding an altar of Arceus. They even believed him to be a demon sent by Arceus as punishment for their crimes.

But that was all untrue.

He was just a loyal worshiper of Arceus, dead-set on defending the sacred ground of the temple from the bloodshed and violence of those three armies of intruders.

Conkeldurr laid his concrete pillars down. They were splashed crimson with the blood of his foes. The Fighting-type said a quick prayer for their recovery. Then he headed toward the altar, allowing the rain to wash the blood from his hands. He knelt before the stone and prayed.

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I have spilled blood and brought potential death upon those who would bring violence onto your grounds,” he said.

“You did what you thought was right. You defended a symbol of my presence. Most of all, you did so without the intent to kill.”

Conkeldurr froze at that voice. Slowly turning, his eyes widened in shock upon seeing the glowing figure standing in the rain…yet the rain did not touch the figure, bouncing off of a glowing barrier. This same figure was carved into the altar that Conkeldurr had just been praying to moments before.

It was Arceus.

“You have done well, Conkeldurr. I have been watching you for a very long time. You’ve grown into a loyal follower of mine,” Arceus said proudly. “I thank you sincerely for protecting my altar.”

Conkeldurr’s body refused to move when the elegant god approached him. When Arceus was close enough to touch, the god leaned down and kissed him. It was a strange sensation since Arceus had no visible mouth, but the sincerity of the gesture seemed to get through. Conkeldurr smiled when the god pulled away.

“Continue to protect this place, Conkeldurr. I sense more bloodshed and violence will come this way in the near future,” Arceus stated, stepping away.

Conkeldurr nodded, still in shock over the kiss. “Thank you, my Lord,” he said.

Arceus left shortly afterward, the heavy rain leaving with him. Conkeldurr stayed at the altar for the remainder of that day, amazed at the encounter. He had met God himself…


	6. 5thSymphonyShipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: 5thSymphonyShipping  
> Pairing: Arceus x Lugia, one-sided Ho-Oh x Lugia  
> Warning: Implied past violence  
> Summary: His song always relaxed her when she felt stressed. Could his song possibly lead to something more?

Arceus had a headache. A very big one… She was tired of dealing with the arguments of the other Legendaries.

Groudon and Kyorge were always fighting over which was better, land or water. Rayquaza and Deoxys kept arguing about living space. Mew wouldn’t stop bothering Mewtwo over stupid things. Entei and Raikou kept fighting over Suicune’s affections. Landorus was on Earth, attempting to stop Tornadus and Thundurus from causing worldwide chaos with their storms. Manaphy and Jirachi wouldn’t speak to each other for unknown reasons. Latias was unable to locate Latios, who had gone into hiding after an embarrassing incident that he refused to speak of. Cresselia kept annoying Darkrai over his habit of randomly giving people nightmares. Victini had disappeared to Earth in order to visit a friend of his. Meloetta was searching for her missing red shoes. Dialga and Palkia were running from Giratina after a prank gone wrong involving the Reverse World and a bunch of Weezing. Shaymin and Celebi kept getting into catfights. Regirock, Regice, and Registeel were forever trying to kill Regigigas for reasons better left unknown. Zekrom, Reshiram, and Kyurem were harassing Genesect over his appearance. Cobalion was arguing with Terrakion over which fighting style was better, their screams causing Keldeo to cry hysterically while Virizion desperately tried to comfort him. Heatran randomly blew stuff up for fun and had angered both Zapdos and Articuno, resulting in a huge fight between them. Moltres and Ho-Oh were ignoring each other entirely.

The only one who seemed to not be fighting was herself…and Lugia.

Getting up from her cushion-covered pedestal in the Hall of Origin, the Original One teleported herself to Shamouti Island in order to visit him. Arriving on the beach, she was suddenly grateful for Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres’ absence. Surrounding herself in a barrier, she levitated toward the center of the ocean that separated the three elemental islands from Shamouti Island. Shaking off a shiver as a cold wind hit her, she had the barrier sink deep beneath the waves toward the massive ocean current far below.

Barely halfway there, she smiled upon hearing his song. It was the song he sang to keep balance between his three elemental counterparts. Arceus wondered briefly if it was working despite how much distance was between him and them. She doubted it but still…

A monstrous current emerged from the darkness, bathing her in brilliant blue light. Focusing on keeping her barrier under control, she forced it through the rough current in order to reach its center. The waters soon calmed as she arrived at the heart of the Beast of the Sea. She found the name ironic, both since the current was not a physical beast and that its occupant was.

Now to find who she was looking for…

.o.o.o.o.

Lugia sighed, sensing the tension running through the psychic connection he had with Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. He knew that they had been fighting as of late but why, he had no clue. In all honesty, he didn’t care as long as they didn’t cause world chaos or destruction…again. He was happy it was simply a few petty arguments, no doubt with the other Legendaries.

If he had to wager a guess, he’d have to say that Zapdos and Articuno’s conflicts were connected. How, he didn’t know exactly. His psychic connection with them only ran so deep. He could detect their feelings, their current situation, and whether they were hurt or not. Beyond that, he knew nothing. He couldn’t read their minds without pushing the connection, along with his counterparts’ tempers, to its limit.

Moltres and Ho-Oh were, of course, fighting over who was the better-looking Fire-type bird. That was an argument he knew was a constant with the pair. Lugia didn’t really get why looks were so important to them both. They were both just so vain, it was ridiculous.

Opening his mouth, he began to sing. The song always soothed him when he felt bothered. He sent the song down the link and smiled when he felt Zapdos and Articuno’s tension fade almost immediately. The smile faded when Moltres’ tension faded only a little bit. Moltres was always the hardest out of the trio to calm if he was mad. Lugia sang more, hoping for his Fire-type counterpart’s temper to lessen.

He suddenly stopped singing, sensing a powerful presence within the current that served as his home. Not many could penetrate the Beast of the Sea without being battered and bruised into oblivion. Spreading his flipper-like wings, he headed toward the source of the presence.

.o.o.o.o.

_Why must this place be so big?_ Arceus wondered, looking around as she moved her barrier-encased form forward. _And Giratina thinks the Hall of Origin is too big. He’s clearly never been down here before._

Her thoughts were interrupted when she registered a powerful presence fast approaching from behind her. Turning around, she waited until it came into sight. Arceus would’ve smiled if she had a proper mouth, settling for a sigh of relief as Lugia arrived.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t here,” Arceus commented.

“Sorry for not realizing you were here immediately,” Lugia apologized, bowing his head respectfully. “I was dealing with…you know…”

“How horrible for you.” Arceus chuckled. “Any change in their behavior?”

“Zapdos and Articuno have calmed down,” Lugia replied.

“But not Moltres,” Arceus guessed.

“Correct.” Lugia nodded, frowning. “He’s so stubborn. Why does he have such a, pardon the pun, fiery temper?”

“Don’t all Fire-types?” Arceus joked.

Lugia chuckled, nodding. He looked back the way he’d come. “You’re here for a reason, Arceus. Why?”

_Always straight to the point,_ Arceus thought sourly.

“I have unruly counterparts to tame,” Lugia said in response to her thought.

“Stay out of my head,” Arceus ordered coldly.

“Yes, Arceus,” Lugia replied, turning his back on her entirely. “Come. There’s more room further down.”

The goddess quietly followed Lugia as he headed further down the current. She envied how he could swim and breathe within the rough waters of the Beast of the Sea so easily. He wasn’t even a Water-type. Arceus, on the other hand, was forced to hide within a psychic barrier in order to survive so far beneath the ocean’s surface. Even the Splash Plate, which made her a Water-type, was unable to keep her safe at these depths.

The current’s heart widened out, as Lugia had said it would. Lugia swam toward the center of the room and opened his mouth, unleashing a brief song. Arceus already knew he was sending it down the connection he had with his three counterparts, still attempting to soothe Moltres’ seemingly never-ending rage.

As Lugia sang, Arceus’ thoughts wandered to their past…

.o.o.o.o.

When Arceus had first created the world and its inhabitants, her first objective was to create others like her to help keep the world’s balance in check. The idea for making counterparts came not long after she first created Mew and the humans created Mewtwo. The first counterpart she made was, of course, her own shadow—Giratina. Dialga and Palkia were created to be counterparts to Giratina.

The counterparts were always in pairs or trios. It was a habit of hers, one she never completely understood the reasoning behind. Regardless, she went with it. Her fellow Legendaries were born, each being governed by others like them.

From the very beginning, she knew that Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno would be trouble. They constantly fought with one another and with the rest of the Legendaries. Not even Arceus was safe from them. She had become so enraged at them once that she had come very close to erasing all three of them just to save everyone else from their buffoonery.

Then Lugia had stepped forward, promising to keep the trio under control himself. Ho-Oh, Lugia’s counterpart, had instantly made a fuss but was silenced by Lugia’s firm stare. Arceus, not caring who did it, gladly shoved the troublesome birds onto Lugia.

In a short amount of time, Articuno and Zapdos had mellowed out enough to be less troublesome than they used to be. Moltres, on the other hand, had become less troublesome…but more violent. Even Lugia had trouble controlling him at times. It was obvious who was to blame. Ho-Oh had made it her personal goal to cause friction between Lugia and the bird trio. She had failed with Zapdos and Articuno, but she apparently succeeded with Moltres.

Lugia, however, refused to give up on Moltres. That only fueled Ho-Oh’s anger even more. Thus the present day conflicts between her and Moltres. Beauty was only the cover story. Lugia was the true reason behind the quarrel.

Throughout the whole fight, both Lugia’s fight to rehabilitate the bird trio and Ho-Oh’s fight to separate them, Arceus had found herself admiring Lugia more and more. She only had to worry about Giratina’s behavior. Lugia had not only Ho-Oh but Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno to monitor. He had four counterparts versus her one counterpart. She was almost surprised that he was still sane.

That admiration soon turned into something she found hard to control. She had seen it happen to other Pokemon and even among humans. She managed to keep it hidden in front of her fellow Legendaries. The feeling only seemed to arise when she was near Lugia.

It was love…

.o.o.o.o.

“…ceus? Arceus, are you listening?”

“Huh?” Arceus snapped back into awareness, realizing that Lugia had been speaking to her. “Oh, sorry. I was—”

“Lost in thought, I know,” Lugia finished for her.

Arceus glared, wishing she could frown at him. “I thought I said to stay out of my head,” she said coldly.

“I wasn’t in your head, Arceus,” Lugia explained, not even flinching under her glare. “It’s plain to see on your face. I don’t always read others’ minds, you know. I quite rarely do so, in fact.”

Arceus huffed, her glare withering. “You were saying…?”

“I asked what is it you are doing down here,” he repeated. “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I rarely get visitors, mind you, especially down here.”

“I can tell,” Arceus muttered.

Lugia folded his wings, sighing. “Do I need to read your mind to find the answer to my question?” he asked nonchalantly.

Arceus glared at him fiercely. “No,” she growled. “I came here to escape the chaos of the others. They’re giving me a headache.”

“Ah.” Lugia nodded in understanding. “Why come here, though?”

“You’re the only other one, aside from me, not fighting,” she replied, avoiding his eyes. “I deemed this the best place to escape to.”

“The best place, indeed.” Lugia nodded again. “Well, make yourself at home then.”

Arceus gave no response. Lugia forced back a sigh and spread his wings, heading back to his personal chambers.

.o.o.o.o.

Lugia could sense Arceus following him but dismissed it. As their god, she would do as she pleased. He was suddenly grateful that she was not as inclined to read the minds of others as many, he included, were. He wondered what she would do if she discovered that he had fallen so madly in love with her. The only thing stopping him from admitting it was his fear of rejection.

He had peeked momentarily into her mind when she had zoned out, realizing she was thinking of the past. Once the memories began to involve the conflicts between Moltres and Ho-Oh over him, he had backed out. He didn’t enjoy remembering such issues.

Lugia knew of Ho-Oh’s love for him. She had quickly made it known since the day of their creation. Once he offered to take in Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno, that love had turned into severe jealousy. She ended up taking it out on Moltres, who looked the most similar to herself. No amount of pleading from Lugia could convince her to stop. When the bird trio was old enough to protect themselves, he reluctantly gave up trying to quell the fighting. Zapdos and Articuno escaped unscathed. Moltres, on the other hand…

The mighty bird shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He had arrived in his own chambers. Spreading his wings, he unleashed another song and sent it down the link. Articuno and Zapdos were completely calm, whatever chaos they had caused having ceased at last. Much to Lugia’s joy, Moltres’ anger was ebbing away bit by bit. If he strained his connection with Ho-Oh hard enough, he could feel her rage also fading. Peace at last, if only for a moment…

.o.o.o.o.

Arceus felt herself relaxing as Lugia sang. His voice was so beautiful…

She suddenly wished her fur wasn’t white. It was so easy to tell if she was blushing. She was glad that his back was turned to her, but still…

All of the day’s events finally took their toll. She was struggling to stay upright within her barrier. Her eyes fell half-closed, exhaustion threatening to consume her. Lugia’s songs always made her feel sleepy, for some reason. It was like a lullaby…

Flipper-like wings wrapped around her, stopping her from toppling over. A melodic voice whispered into her ear, “Get some sleep, Arceus. I’ll wake you when the chaos is over.”

Unable to resist, she relaxed against Lugia’s larger frame and allowed sleep to take her.

.o.o.o.o.

Lugia smiled as Arceus fell asleep in his wings. He had known from the moment she entered his chambers that she was tired. His song, a special lullaby that Manaphy had taught him long ago, was the final ingredient to making her sleep.

He had always found her face to be the oddest of any Pokemon’s. No mouth or nose whatsoever yet she could speak and smell just as well as any of them could. Despite its oddness, Lugia found that it fit her perfectly. It was…cute, in its own strange way.

Her peaceful expression drew him in. Before he even knew what he was doing, he had kissed her on the cheek. Pulling up a barrier of his own upon sensing Arceus’ barrier fading, he was content to float there and sleep.

He had his secret love in his arms. He had given her a kiss, even if it was on the cheek. She had come to his home seeking escape.

Lugia was happy to have gained all those things. Now, if only she was awake for that kiss…

As he drifted to sleep, something pressed against his cheek. It didn’t feel like lips, but…

_I love you too, Lugia._

Ah, so she had been awake. And she had read his mind. Clever, Arceus, clever…

.o.o.o.o.

The two Legendaries would not return to the Hall of Origin until late the next day. Nobody would think of their mysterious absence as strange except for Ho-Oh, but her paranoia involving Lugia was well-known and her rumors were dismissed by all. Lugia and Arceus would go about their daily tasks until the chaos started.

Then they would disappear, content to be in each others’ arms far beneath the sea.


End file.
